Costumes by Vivienne Westwood, hats by Stephen Jones, photography by Simon Proctor, celebrating 300 years of Royal Ascot
I would love to be wearing a fabulous outfit, topped off by a wondrous hat, floating round the Royal Enclosure, studying the form, with a glass of bubbly in hand...
But no, I am getting the house ready for our own Summer Season and I am up to my neck in cleaning, the nearest I am to a thoroughbred racehorse right now is cursing the local horses, cows and sheep who are currently grazing in the adjacent fields and sending loads of fly's my way, I have just cleaned all the windows and although there is no grime or pollution to worry about, idyllic country living does bring it's own problems I can't tell you how hard it is to clean all the fly dirt off the windows inside and out. Its hot here at the moment so the windows are open in the early morning and the little buggers are pouring in, they don't seem to sell fly screens here, all there is is spray, which makes me sneeze, those revolting sticky things you hang from the ceiling and ghastly stickers for the windows (which don't work). Oh well at least the windows are clean for now.
Our first influx of seasonal guests arrive on Saturday, hence the mass cleaning frenzy and Belle Mere arrives on Sunday (she likes to see a clean, tidy and well ordered home) so the place has got to be pristine. No stone is being left unturned, I have even run all the CLEAN glasses, that were languishing in a cupboard in the guest house, through the dishwasher as they have been unused since last season and have gone a bit foisty, nothing worse than a foisty wine glass!
Blog posts and commenting will probably be very thin on the ground for the next few days. Next week I intend to reward myself by going to the local salon to treat myself to a leg and bikini wax, pedicure and manicure, and then I want to do something utterly glamorous, will see you then!
Fresh non foisty glasses!
I would love to be wearing a fabulous outfit, topped off by a wondrous hat, floating round the Royal Enclosure, studying the form, with a glass of bubbly in hand...
But no, I am getting the house ready for our own Summer Season and I am up to my neck in cleaning, the nearest I am to a thoroughbred racehorse right now is cursing the local horses, cows and sheep who are currently grazing in the adjacent fields and sending loads of fly's my way, I have just cleaned all the windows and although there is no grime or pollution to worry about, idyllic country living does bring it's own problems I can't tell you how hard it is to clean all the fly dirt off the windows inside and out. Its hot here at the moment so the windows are open in the early morning and the little buggers are pouring in, they don't seem to sell fly screens here, all there is is spray, which makes me sneeze, those revolting sticky things you hang from the ceiling and ghastly stickers for the windows (which don't work). Oh well at least the windows are clean for now.
Our first influx of seasonal guests arrive on Saturday, hence the mass cleaning frenzy and Belle Mere arrives on Sunday (she likes to see a clean, tidy and well ordered home) so the place has got to be pristine. No stone is being left unturned, I have even run all the CLEAN glasses, that were languishing in a cupboard in the guest house, through the dishwasher as they have been unused since last season and have gone a bit foisty, nothing worse than a foisty wine glass!
Blog posts and commenting will probably be very thin on the ground for the next few days. Next week I intend to reward myself by going to the local salon to treat myself to a leg and bikini wax, pedicure and manicure, and then I want to do something utterly glamorous, will see you then!
I'm sure everything is already pristine, Dash!
ReplyDeleteAdore that poster with the VW frocks - glorious!
And your clean glasses are gleaming! Hope it all turns out well - including Belle Mere's visit!
Ali xxx
Those glasses look immaculate!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry the weather's vile and poor old Ascot looks very wet and soggy. Maybe next year. xxx
Dash, wouldn't we all like to have been sitting in the royal box at ascot with a fabulous hat on our heads...
ReplyDeleteLooking at your super clean glasses makes me want to come and be one of your summer paying guests.
Guess what?! I won a bottle of Bollinger bubbly on twitter today. They had an Ascot contest and I actually won - so excited!! And I'm sure your house looks beautiful - lucky guests!!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your guests! You're so lucky to have good weather, it's been grey, rainy and dreary here.
ReplyDeleteThe Ascot picture is gorgeous!
Hope all's well with you and thanks for the gardening tips. My friend told me to cut it now so I'm so glad you said different xx
Hello Dash:
ReplyDeleteWell, at least you have the good weather, something rather lacking at Royal Ascot. Just think, you have not had the concern of whether your feathers would flop, your hat would sail away on the wind or your shoes sink in the mud. There are definite compenstions to where you are.
How generously you supply your guests with wine glasses. Clearly the expectation is that many would be needed and how marvellous to open the cupboard and see them all sparkling there just waiting for the wine.
You deserve your treat after all your labours and we shall await with much interest the news of the glamorous event!
After all that toil, you certainly deserve a nice salon treat. Maybe you could great all your guests in a wonderfully mad hat when they arrive? xo
ReplyDeleteLucky guests, Dash - I wish that I were one of them!
ReplyDeleteHow is the patient, (Crusoe) doing?
I look forward to seeing you both in fine form once the guests have gone and you've relaxed with some salon treatment and perhaps a little shopping pick-me-up!
What a fantastic image!
ReplyDeleteHope your entertaining of guests went smoothly.
a good job well done....hope the guests go well...am off to south central France myself next week, to visit friends and can't wait...hope your weather is better than ours!!
ReplyDeletewhat a great poster celebrating ascot and those costumes...wow! just lovely! enjoy your blog very much!!
ReplyDeleteI hope all is going well, Dash. Thanks for your visit.
ReplyDelete